1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tube ports and sampling ports, and container systems that incorporate such ports.
2. The Relevant Technology
Ports are a necessary feature of bioreactors for delivering controlled volumes of gas, liquid, or other material to growth media containing cells; for extracting matter out of the bioreactor; and for inserting probes, such as a temperature probe, to monitor conditions within the bioreactor. Conventional ports comprise tubular metal or hard plastic stems that are permanently attachable to the bioreactor container. Various tubes or probes are then attached to the ports or are passed through the ports. In all embodiments, great care is taken so that no leaking or contamination occurs at the ports.
Although conventional ports are useful for their intended purpose as detailed above, they have a number of shortcomings. For example, because conventional ports typically are made of metal or hard plastic, the ports are typically rigid and inflexible. Because of this inflexibility, it can be difficult to establish a seal around tubes or other structures that are passed through the ports. As a result, an unwanted dead space can be formed between the ports and the structures passing therethrough.
Furthermore, the inflexibility of conventional ports can cause problems when used with flexible containers. An advantage of using flexible containers is that the containers can be folded up for transport or storage when not in use, making the stored containers more compact, easier to handle, and requiring less room to store. Rigid ports decrease the flexibility of the containers and increase the risk that the ports could damage the containers when the containers are folded around the ports.
Sampling from bioreactors typically occurs by simply connecting a sampling tube to a corresponding port and withdrawing the sample therefrom. This sampling technique typically withdraws the sample fluid from the perimeter of the container. Such a sample, however, may be misrepresentative of the typically more homogeneous fluid that is contained close to the center of the container.
Accordingly, what are needed are improved ports that overcome one or more of the above problems or other shortcomings known in the art.